Buccal Fat removal is a surgical procedure to remove the fat pads that augment the lower part of the cheeks. The goal of buccal fat removal is to thin the cheeks, specifically in the area of the cheek hollows. Although a face that is naturally soft and filled out is considered youthful, some people find that their face feels too full, even chubby.
A buccal fat removal removes the buccal fat pad, a naturally-occurring pad of fat in the cheek hollow area. The size of the buccal fat pad varies with each individual patient, and the buccal fat pad in each cheek may be different sizes. Buccal fat pad extraction surgery is typically not performed in people with thin, narrow faces as removal of the fat may cause the face to look more gaunt with age.
During the buccal fat removal, patients are usually under local anesthesia, meaning they will be awake but drowsy and insensitive to pain.
Preparation prior to surgery:
Assessment of the medical history (any allergies, serious medical condition and all medications taken both prescribed and non-prescribed), physical examination, and laboratory tests will be performed during consultation. Smoking must be avoided for about 3-4 weeks prior to surgery, as nicotine interferes with circulation and will greatly affect healing process. You will likely to be asked to stop drinking alcohol, a week before the surgery and throughout your recovery period. Avoid taking any medications such as hormones, anticoagulants, anabolic steroids and supplements at least 4-6 weeks to prevent complicating medical factors prior to surgery. Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding.
Duration of the operation:
This procedure is taking about one hour to perform.
During the buccal fat removal, patients are usually under local anesthesia, meaning they will be
awake but drowsy and insensitive to pain.
The buccal fat removal procedure may be performed in the cosmetic surgeon’s office-based facility, an outpatient surgery center, or at a hospital. This procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis.
The surgeon creates an incision about 2 to 3 cm long between the cheek and gums, starting above the second upper molar towards the back of the mouth. The incision exposes the fascia and fibers of the main cheek muscle (buccinator). By applying pressure externally under the cheek bone, the surgeon causes the buccal fat to protrude through the incision. The surgeon then teases the fat out with forceps or surgical tweezers. After a collective amount is removed, the surgeon then closes the incisions.
It is normal to feel pain and discomfort after undergoing surgery. With buccal fat removal, patients can expect swelling and difficulty chewing for a few days, up to a week. Most patients usually return to work in about a week following surgery. Be sure to follow your surgeon’s post-op instructions to ensure better healing and to reduce any possible complications.
The recovery process is relatively quick and painless. For a few days the patient will look like they have had oral surgery with swollen cheeks, but no bruising. By one week, the patients generally look like they did pre-operatively and the final results become apparent after 4-6 weeks as residual swelling disappears.
All forms of cosmetic surgery carry some degree of risk. With buccal fat removal, infection and adverse reactions to the anesthetic are the biggest possible risks.
Numbness is normal after undergoing surgery, and usually subsides after a few weeks. Loss of sensation is usually found around the incision lines, on the central cheeks, or the jaw line. In rare cases, the numbness can be a long-term, possibly permanent condition.
